“Hidden” Seafood

Seafood is such a widely used product that it will invariably sneak in to some unexpected places. We have tried to list some of the more unexpected places here.

Finings in wine – some contain fish extracts, like Isinglass (dried fish bladder) and so allergen labels should be checked.

Worcester sauce – this popular cooking ingredient contains anchovies.

Hotdogs, Pizza toppings, ham – there are cases in which Pollock, (a white, finned fish) have been used as a filler ingredient.

Artificial crab meat or Surimi – no shellfish here but it is often made with one or many species of fish including Pollock and cod, making it unsuitable for a Fish allergy sufferer.

Healthcare preparations (such as Glucosamine) - These may be an area of concern for shellfish allergy sufferers as some are derived from shells of crustaceans. Whilst in many cases it is the protein that will cause an allergic reaction in a shellfish allergic person, not the shell extracts, it is wise to avoid them or approach with extreme caution as they are not routinely tested to ensure there are no proteins present.

Salads – many salads are topped with flavoursome extras such as prawns, which tend to be clearly seen and labelled, or anchovies in something like a Caesar Salad that may not be so obvious.

Pet Food – whilst most of us wouldn’t intentionally eat Kitty’s dinner it is worth pointing out that for a SeaFood Allergy sufferer these can be dangerous! Handling the dried or processed meats of cat, dog and fish foods can be risky for a patient and as such precautions should be taken if necessary.

Stamps and Envelopes – those sold with adhesives designed to be damped to make the seal. These can contain various fish proteins and so should be avoided, damped with a sponge or a different design used instead (prefixed adhesive with a removable backing strip to make the seal).